The People First Federal Credit Union will move its corporate headquarters to Five City Center at 740 Hamilton Street in downtown Allentown. (photo courtesy City Center Investment Corp.)

The People First Federal Credit Union (PFFCU) has announced it will move its corporate headquarters to Five City Center in downtown Allentown, a significant investment that continues the financial services provider’s ongoing support of the city’s downtown neighborhood.

“As a credit union with the philosophy of ‘People Helping People,’ we want to have a strong presence in our community and a leadership role in improving the lives of our members,” said PFFCU President & CEO Howard Meller. “Our investment in Allentown is a significant step forward in providing much needed services to our community.”

PFFCU, which has been serving the Lehigh Valley community for more than 70 years, will move about 90 employees to a 24,801 square-foot of space on the third floor of the Class A office building, which is located at 740 Hamilton Street.

The move, expected to take place in November, comes as PFFCU has been experiencing significant growth, having recently expanded its field of membership to include Carbon County in Pennsylvania, and Warren County in New Jersey.

PFFCU was seeking a cost-effective and modern solution for long-term headquarters space, Meller said. Constructed of steel and glass, the 13-floor Five City Center stands 200 feet tall and encompasses 300,000 square feet in total.

“We’d like to thank People First for their dedication to the Allentown community,” said Jill Wheeler, Vice President of Sales and Marketing with City Center Investment Corp., which developed the building. “… People First’s plan to relocate their headquarters to Five City Center signals that growing companies are still seeking new, flexible office space post-pandemic.”

PFFCU will retain its branch at its previous headquarters location on Downyflake Lane in Allentown, with Teller and Lending services as well as the drive-through and ATM services. The branch will be renovated and upgraded to better serve members.

People First will also open a new branch serving members of the Allentown community at 26 N. 6th Street, directly across from Miller Symphony Hall. This will be PPFCU’s eighth branch location in the Lehigh Valley.

The headquarters move caps a series of commitments to Allentown in recent months.

Five City Center is also the home of Fortune 500 company and payroll processing giant ADP, which occupies the top 10 floors of the building and houses 1,000 employees. Other tenants include Wells Fargo, Raymond James, and the offices of Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Browne.

In January, PFFCU partnered with the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center as one of its financial institutions. The center’s 13,000 square-foot facility in downtown Allentown was also financed by People First.

Additionally, PFFCU was the first financial institution to provide financing to students in the Real Estate Lab, a free program launched by City Center that teaches downtown Allentown residents how to invest in real estate and manage properties in their community.

“People First is delighted to support The Real Estate Lab in helping local residents invest in their communities,” Meller said. “This program aligns with two of our important values: empowering others to achieve their financial goals and serving the community.”

PPFCU is also the Community Music Series Sponsor for Rock the Walk every Thursday on the ArtsWalk and in the adjoining Pocket Park in downtown Allentown. Rock the Walk features pop-up vendors and music and performances by local community groups,

The not-for-profit People First serves more than 72,000 members and has more than $730 million in assets.

Five City Center was built by general contractor North Star Construction Management and designed by architect JDavis.